Dungeness Crab Rolls let the crab shine with butter warmed lump pieces, minced red pepper, tarragon, smoky chipotle and a squeeze of lemon.
This west coast inspired crab roll skips the mayo for a fresher take on the classic lobster roll. You won’t miss the mayo with the large lump meat warmed in rich smoky chipotle butter. Finely minced red bell pepper, red onion, garlic and tarragon add just enough flavor to highlight the crab.
I often pair tarragon with seafood. You’ll find it in many of my recipes, like my Farm Style Clam Chowder and Dungeness Crab & Corn Chowder.
Tarragon is widely used in French cooking and is native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. It’s mild anise flavor pairs perfectly with seafood dishes.
Historically, tarragon has been used for medicinal properties like easing tooth and gum pain, but this herb has many more benefits such as:
- Antioxidant: Neutralize those free radicals with tarragon oil
- Digestive Aid: Improve digestion, upset stomach or irritable bowel
- Sedative: Relieves anxiety / stress and helps with a good nights sleep
- Fights Bacteria: Keeps your body healthy and free from bacteria
Ingredients in Dungeness Crab Rolls
- Dungeness Crab – A pound of fresh Dungeness Crab. If purchasing pre-cracked crab, squeeze out excess moisture.
- Brioche Rolls – Check your local grocery for brioche split top hot dog buns. It’s difficult to find traditional crab roll buns on the west coast. These brioche buns are the next best thing and they come split down the top instead of the side, making for the perfect roll to stuff with crab.
- Red Bell Pepper – Fine diced red bell pepper adds color and texture.
- Red Onion – Fine diced red onion for flavor and texture.
- Tarragon – Fresh tarragon pairs nicely with seafood and enhances the flavor of crab.
- Chipotle Powder – Because I like a little kick in my bite.
- Butter – Real butter is a must for this recipe.
- Garlic – I used minced garlic that I keep in my fridge.
- Lemon – Lemon adds freshness and brings out the flavor in crab.
Related Recipes
If you love seafood sandwiches, try this Vietnamese inspired Salmon Banh Mi Sandwich made with hoisin glazed wild caught salmon. Craving crab? These Mexican Crab Cakes with Serrano Cream are light, fresh and packed with flavor or indulge in rich, buttery Dungeness Crab Enchiladas.
Dungeness Crab Rolls
Ingredients
- 4 brioche split top rolls warmed
- 1 pound Dungeness crab shells and moisture removed
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper fine diced
- 1/4 cup red onion fine diced
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 pinch chipotle powder
- 1 tbsp. fresh tarragon
- 1 lemon cut in wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a medium pan over medium heat, heat butter until melted. Sauté red bell pepper, red onion and minced garlic until just softened, about 1 minute. Add crab, chipotle powder and tarragon, gently folding together. Heat until just warm. Fill each warmed brioche split top roll with a quarter of the mixture. Serve with lemon slices.
